Academic Staff Assembly (ASA)
Minutes
Approved 11-08-04
MINUTES
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, 11 October 2004
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-4:30 pm)
Provost Peter Spear called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 9/13/2004 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved.
Memorial Resolution for Dennis Carey (1952-2003) was read by Jeff Dvorak.
Legislative Audit Bureau report on administration costs - Darrell Bazzell
Vice Chancellor Bazzell explained that the LAB showed a high percentage
of administrative expenditures due to differences in definitions as to
what goes into the costs. UW System looks at central administration for
its numbers, while the LAB looked across campus at various titles and
included most of the classified staff. So, LAB had about 25% of staff
doing administrative work, where our campus would put that number at about
6%. Using LAB calculations, we are spending about $28K per student. Using
UW Madison numbers, the cost is closer to $12K per student, though higher
for graduate students in the professional schools. The audit noted that
UW System grew by 89 positions, however those were funded by research
and private funds. Positions funded by GPR actually decreased.
UW System President Kevin Reilly, BOR President Toby Marcovich, and Dr. Hector DeLuca testified at a legislative hearing last week explaining System's position. LAB did not compare UW System to other state agencies nor to our peers in the report, which would have shown that our percentage of administration is lower than others. Still, the legislature would like to see a plan from System by February on how to reduce administrative costs.
Committee Reports
Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) - Bruce Beck, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/asec.html
Bruce reported that ASEC had met with Luis Piñero and Nancy Lynch,
who brought information on the mandatory sexual assault reporting for
campus. Daniel Einstein, head of environmental management for Facilities
Planning and Management, was invited to ASEC to discuss projects he is
involved with, such as recycling and surveys of campus tree species and
historical artifacts. Hank Lufler came to ASEC to talk about WISCAPE programs.
A central theme this year will be the declining state support for higher
education with no relinquishing of authority. He also asked for ASEC's
help in setting the program for the Academic Staff Institute in the spring.
Transportation director Lance Lunsway talked with ASEC about the growing
problem of moped safety as well as other issues of limited parking and
construction projects in the future.
ASEC approved the appointment of Consuelo Lopez Springfield to replace Wilt Sanders on the Labor Licensing Policies Committee.
Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee (CEBC) - Bill Steffenhagen,
chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/cebc/index2.htm
In 2001 CEBC requested data to see how many Category A academic staff
were within 5% of the maximum. The data showed that 500 were within 5%
and that 100 were at the maximum. CEBC will request new information to
see what the numbers look like now.
Bill reported that in June 2004 a change was made to UPG 9 to move the
choice to the employer for how Annual Leave Reserve Accounts would be
handled. In the new language, each institution "may" require
that the retirement/resignation date be extended rather than pay the ALRA
out in a lump sum. Steve Lund brought ASEC a draft of guidelines that
could be used to make these determinations fairly at UW-Madison.
Districting and Representation Committee (DRC) - Anne Gunther, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/comopp/drc.html
Nominating Committee - Mary Ray, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/comopp/nc.html
Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC) - Ann Wallace, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/pppc/index.htm
Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC) - Barry Robinson,
co-chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/pdrc/index.html
Letters and Science Committee on Academic Staff Issues - Tori Richardson
The L&S CASI met with new dean Gary Sandefur, who explained his priorities
for the College. The gender issue on the CASI was addressed by the new
appointees, including an additional person on the committee specifically
to represent professional academic advisors. The CASI will meet with its
classified staff counterpart to talk about climate and other issues in
the near future.
Bicycle Pedestrian Subcommittee of the Campus Transportation Committee - Dennis Ray and Michael Forster Rothbart (joined by Rob Kennedy of Facilities Planning and Management)
The mission of this subcommittee is to encourage transportation to campus and on campusby bike, bus and foot, while promoting safety, convenience, and economy of these modes. The subcommittee guidelines fordesigning new and existing campus bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Some current concerns of particular focus include moped user education and law enforcement, signage for pedestrian sidewalk and crosswalk safety, and safe pathways around construction areas. They are somewhat limited in the scope of recommendations since the city has authority over some of the roads and sidewalks, and the state controls the construction projects.
The subcommittee has been invited to provide ideas to the consultants
developing the Campus Master Plan (http://www.uc.wisc.edu/masterplan/index.html).
You and your district members are invited to help identify:
- specific locations on campus where there are bottlenecks, safety concerns,
or general "pet peeves" for bikers and pedestrians
- general ideas for making the campus transportation system more efficient
and safer for bikers and pedestrians.
Dennis Ray, Michael Forster Rothbart, and Rob Kennedy will report again to the Assembly on the how the proposed Campus Master Plan will address bike/ped issues identified by academic staff.
University Academic Planning Committee - Robin Kurtz and Frank Kooistra
This committee chaired by the provost acts as advisory to the chancellor
on new programs, centers, and name changes for majors and departments
At the most recent meeting, a change from Industrial Engineering to Industrial
and Systems Engineering was approved. The committee also approved removal
of several defunct centers from the master list and approved a new center
for political science. UAPC has been discussing the future of the Land
Tenure Center over the past year. While LTC has been given a "home"
at the Institute for Environmental Studies temporarily, they still need
more faculty involvement to retain viability.
Frank is on UAPC's budget subcommittee along with Robin. This committee is chaired by Cyrena Pondrom and regularly hears budget updates from Darrell Bazzell. This year the budget subcommittee will be examining its role since it seems to have limited function other than to advise the administration on budget matters and communicate with various governance committees on issues of concern, currently TABOR, the LAB audit, and the next pay plan.
New Business
Bruce Beck led a discussion of governance priorities for 2004-05. Assembly
members were provided with a ballot to be turned in where top priorities
could be indicated. Joanne Pritchett commented that issues of climate
should not be isolated, but should intersect throughout our issues and
priorities.
Provost report - Peter Spear
Peter mentioned a new policy where an individual who moves to Wisconsin
as a result of his/her domestic partner's full-time employment at the
UW-Madison, or an individual who is a dependent of someone who moved to
Wisconsin as a result of his/her domestic partner's full-time employment
at the UW-Madison, may be eligible for up to a one-year remission of non-resident
tuition. This policy is on the web at http://www.provost.wisc.edu/nrtrdpp.html
Peter is working on guidelines for instances where classes are held off campus whether in routine or unusual circumstances. ASEC reviewed the first draft.
A search and screen committee is being formed to find a replace for retiring Charles Read of the School of Education. Academic staff will have two appointments: one from ASEC and another from the School.
Meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff